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Sweet baby girl, our hearts are so heavy because we had to let you go. We miss your sweet little face and the way you tossed your head back to let out that defiant "BAAHH-RUUU" to make your wishes known. Our Murphy earned her name with her feisty, independent nature. We were living on an overseas military base when we answered an ad for a free beagle. At the time, we were still grieving the recent loss of our Westie, Nessie. Before we went to look at the potential new addition to our family, we acknowledged to each other that it was highly likely that we would bring home any dog that that we saw. They called her "Chloe." She was a sad little creature. She was a rare "Lemon" beagle, tan and white rather than tri-color, and small for the breed at about 18 pounds. She was chained outside, and she reached her paws up to Steve as she gazed with pleading eyes into my husband's face. We were both instantly in love with her and took her home with us immediately. Over the next few weeks, we learned from her vet that she had been beaten and abused by her previous family. It had been all she had known in the 2 years since they had brought her home from a pet store as a puppy. She was cowed and fearful and trembled uncontrollably at any loud or unexpected noise. We spent hours coaxing her from under the bed after a noise or movement had startled or frightened her. Her intelligence was remarkable and obvious. She processed information quickly and in an analytical manner and quickly earned her new name. Murphy was telling us that she needed to go outside within hours of arriving at her new home -- although it took her a few times to "train" us. She collected treasures -- toys, odd and ends, trash -- and stored them in her secret places under the beds. Like all hounds, she lived for food and watched unblinking when there was a chance of obtaining any. Shortly after she joined our family, I had given her a cookie and she wanted more. I told her, "If you want another, bring me a toy." To my surprise, she dashed away and returned with a toy! Of course, she was rewarded with a cookie. From that day on, she bartered for food by offering toys or other items -- including shoes or nearby objects. (Humans are suckers for cute tricks!) A week after Murphy joined our family, we adopted Pepper, an 18-month-old rescued Miniature Schnauzer. They instantly bonded and remained constant companions until Pepper went to the Rainbow Bridge in April of 2006. During the 11 years that they shared together with us, they travelled the world with us to live in Hawaii, Alaska, the District of Columbia, South America and Central America before finally returning home to Texas in 2003. We promised then that they would never again have to endure the torture of airline tranport and we managed to keep that promise to them. When Murphy was young she had boundless energy, running at full speed for no apparent reason, ears flying in the wind as she dashed by us with a challenging "BAAH-RUUU"! After Pepper went to the Rainbow Bridge, her eyesight and hearing began to fail and she began to show the ravages of old age. Near the end, she was unsteady and sometimes disoriented. Fortunately, throughout her 15 1/2 years, she never suffered a major health issue. She and Pepper had to endure 4 months of quarantine when we lived in Hawaii. It was difficult for all of us and Mom spent all day, every day at the quarantine facility keeping the babies company. On Sundays, (when Dad was able to visit) we took ice cream to the babies as a special treat. Murphy always had an uncanny sense of time and was always waiting expectantly every morning at the exact moment that I rounded the aisle that lead to her run in quarantine to greet me with a beagle bay. Although she was fixated on food, while she was in quarantine, she refused to eat until I arrived each day. The only dog other than Pepper that she tolerated during her youth was Mikey, who belonged to our best friends and neighbors in Japan. The 3 were very close and remained so until Mikey's passing shortly before Pepper's. Murphy, the smallest of the three and the only female, was alpha from the very beginning. We have no doubt that, when the boys happily greeted her at the Bridge, she responded by immediately bossing them around! After Pepper's passing, Murphy fell into a deep and severe depression which lasted until the day three months later that we brought home Beau, another rescued Schnauzer, whom she immediately accepted (and began to boss around). Several months ago, we arrived home to find Murphy sitting in the backyard, seemingly disoriented. She had not come waddling in through the doggy door as she normally did when we arrived home from work and when I opened the door and called to her she appeared to not know where she was. The vet checked her and didn't find anything, but surmised that she might have had a minor stroke. On March 2 I arrived home to find her lying prone and limp inside the house near the doggy door after suffering a seizure. We rushed her to the Emergency Clinic and she spent the next 2 days in critical condition as it became evident that she had suffered a serious central nervous system failure as well as having cardiac and other age-related problems. It was clearly time to allow our sweet and special little girl to join Pepper at the Bridge and to stop her suffering. Now sweet Girl, I come home and greet the boisterous boys and, before I think about it I ask, "Where's Murphy?" My heart breaks a little each time even though I know that you are safe and comfortable and that you are happily running and playing with Pepe and Mikey. You gave us 13 wonderful and special years for which we are truly grateful. We are so very thankful that we were able to rescue you and give you the life you absolutely deserved. I remember that it took fully 2 years before you began to hold your tail up and actually wag it - what an accomplishment that was! You will always have a special place in our hearts, little one, and you are never far from our thoughts. Your ashes are in a pretty memorial box beside Pepper's - so you are still sleeping in the same room with us, baby. And, we still carefully step over your favorite spot in the hall. We love you, we miss you and we thank you for all the joy you so unselfishly brought into our lives. Sleep peacefully, Murphy Brown. You were, and will always be, one of a kind. Mama & Daddy miss you, baby. XOXOXO June 6, 2009 - It's been 3 months since you left us for the Bridge, baby girl. Last night your Daddy and I both had vivid dreams about you and I woke up convinced that I heard you barking. Steve dreamed that he was in the backyard and looked up to see you walking around the yard. I remember that Pepper came back to me in a dream 3 weeks after he crossed over to the Bridge to tell me that he was safe and happy. :-) I do believe that both of you would reach out to comfort and reassure us and it brings me so much peace to feel your love still here with us. You know that ours for you will never change, sweetie pie. You fill a special place in our hearts and lives and always will. We miss your sweet little face, your stubborn little disposition and your big warm heart. Run and play with Pepe and Mikey and watch over us. We miss you today as much as the day you had to leave us and that will never change, little love. We love you and wish we could cover you with kisses and give you as many cookies as your heart desires! XOXOXO Mom March 4, 2010 - My sweet little Murphy girl, it was a year ago today that you left us to join Pepe at the Bridge. I know the two of you are happy, content and having fun with Mikey and Christmas. I'll bet you are getting a kick out of watching over us with these three wild schnauzer boys that are now part of our family. They are all good boys but they do keep us busy! We love you as much as the day you had to leave us, Sweetie, and we miss you as much as that sad day that we had to let you go. We're sending lots of love, hugs and kisses your way. XOXOXO Love, Mom March 4, 2011 - Two years without seeing your sweet little face and hearing you "baa-ruh" to try to get your stupid parents to understand something has been very, very hard, Sweet Girl. Nothing will ever fill the emptiness you left when you went on to the Bridge and no other fur-baby can take your place. I know that you are happy, well and at peace and I imagine you often playing with and "bossing around" Pepe and Mikey. Keep vigil, Baby Girl. Someday your Daddy and I will rejoin you and the pack waiting for us. Until then, remember how much we still love and miss our precious little Murph. We're sending all of our love. XOXOXO Love, Mom March 4, 2012 - It was 3 years ago today that you joined Pepe at the Bridge, my sweet baby girl. We still miss you so much, little Murph, and you are forever in our hearts. I still see you curled up in all of your favorite places and I'm often surprised that you lead our boys to the places and things that you loved so much. I often imagine you and Pepper running and playing as you wait for us at the Bridge and I know that you both watch over us. I wish so much that I could give you a tummy rub and kiss your sweet little face. We love and miss you, little girl. Wait for us...we'll all be together again someday. Your Mama and Daddy love you so much. <3 <3 <3 Love, Mom March 4, 2013 - It's been 4 years today since you had to leave us, Murphy-girl. We still miss you so much and we always will. I know you and Pepe are looking over us and waiting for us to join you someday at the Bridge. We think about you often and remember your sweet and funny ways - sometimes we tell people funny stories about you. We remember you with so much love and think of all the happy years you gave us. A million hugs and kisses, sweetie. Love, Mom Please also visit Pepper. |
Murphy's People Parent(s), Victoria & Stephen, would appreciate knowing you have visited their Murphy's Memorial Residency.
Click here to Email Victoria & Stephen a condolence, or to send an E-sympathy pet memorial card click here.